Man critically burned in house fire passes away

A Spokane man who spent months fighting for his life at Harborview Medical Center has passed away.

Shawn Apperson was severely burned in a house fire last December after helping his fiancé and their baby escape out a window. Apperson didn't fit through the window and was later found by firefighters.

"It was just a nightmare, all very sad," Shawn's father, David Apperson, said.

Shawn spent five months in ICU at Harborview and went through countless surgeries. He had burns on 65-percent of his body.

"He's a vigilant warrior," David said.

For months, Shawn made tremendous progress but, on March 4, everything changed.

"Shawn had an episode that turned him into a different direction," David said.

Shawn went into cardiac arrest. His dad said his liver stop functioning and he became paralyzed. On May 3, he died at Harborview with his family by his side.

"Shawn made a decision when he begin to save his family and he didn't stop. He put their lives ahead of his own regardless of what was going to happen," he said.

In this tragedy, David said his family came together.

"Shawn gathered together a lot of people. Shawn healed a lot of hearts," David said.

David's heart is still broken but he's holding onto those precious memories, especially the final one.

"I let him know it was okay to go and in my arms it gave both of us a bit of peace," David said.